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tatea L. LINDSEY AND J. F. OSLLIVAN, OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

Letters' Patent No. 88,647, dated .Ap/rit 6, 1869.

IMIPROVED FRUIT-CRATE The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the uma.

To all whom 'it 'ma/y concern Be it known that we, L. A. Lrnnsnr, and J. F. OS UL- LIVAN, of Jackson, in the county of Hinds, and State of Mississippi, have inventedanew and' useful Improvement in Crates; and wedo'hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in 'the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements iu packages for shipping fruit, vegetables, poultry, and for other purposes, whereby it is designed to provide crates of simple and cheap construction, which may be readily folded, so as` to occupy but little spacewhen it is desired to transport them empty or to store them.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of our improved crate, when partially folded; f

Figure 2 represents the same, when completely folded; and

Figure 3 represents an end view of iig. 1. v

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

We propose to form our improved crates wholly, ex-

cept the metal fastenings, of rectangular bars of Wood,

and we build up the sides, ends, and dividing partitions of the said bars of suitable lengths, by laying the y said bars across each other at the ends, alternately, as

represented in fig. 3, except the partitions, which cross the side bars at suitable intervals from the ends, always beginning and ending with the side rails, using one more side rail than end rails.

We join these side and end rails by metallic rods, running entirely through from top Vtov bottom, as represented in dotted lines, at a, iig. 3, so that when not otherwise prevented, the crate, as thus far formed, will have perfect liberty to be foldeddown, as represented in fig. 2.

The said rods a are provided, on one side ofthe crate, at the top of the same, with eyes b, and with similar eyes at the bottom thereof', on the other side, to which the tops C and bottoms d are respectively-hinged.

The said tops and bottoms are formed of longitudinal rails, 'securelyfastened to transverse bars, and are of suicient width to t fairlybetween the upper and lower longitudinal railse, and rest on the upper and lower transverse bars f, in which position they eiicctually resist any tendency ofthe sides and ends to foldl rails, or to the transverse rails, in any suitable manner, constitute a rigid and substantial crate, the battens, or cross-pieces of the bottom and cover being arcross-pieces of the ends.

It' will beseen that this method of construction is very simple and cheap, and affords a collapsable, or folding crate, which may with facility be changed from -one condition tothe other. 1

The same screws, or fastenings which secure the vcover and bottom -inv one condition, serve to secure them in the other, and the names of the shippers and receivers ofthe goods may be so marked on the cover that when in the folded state the return' address will appear, and the other when in the other condition.

Having thus described our invention,

Patent- 1. rlhe covers c and d, hinged to the same rods a, and arranged to fit between the side and end rails, and thereby maintain the crate in the condition for packing, substantially as and for thepurpose speciiied. A

- 2. The arrangement ofthe several parts, whereby the top and bottom may be folded and secured to the sides, and the whole folded into the form represented in fig. 2, substantially as and for the purpose set fort-h.

L. A. LINDSEY. J. F. OSULLIVAN.

Witnesses l I Gno. T. SwANN,

R. H. WINTER.

together, and, being fastened by screwing to the side ranged to fit snugly inside ofthe upper and .lower We claim as new,'and desire to secure by Letters f 

